Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), smart phones, handheld game devices, digital cameras and video recorders, personal media players such as MP3 (Moving Pictures Expert Group, MPEG-1, audio layer 3) players, handheld computers, and the like are becoming increasingly popular in both business and consumer environments. The small size and light weight of the devices combined with the portability that is provided by their battery-powered operation enables users of the devices to take advantage of the features they provide whenever and wherever they want. Many portable electronic devices also have wireless networking capability which provides yet further functionality and utility.
Because of the devices' utility and small size, users may often carry more than one portable electronic device at a time. It is not unusual, for example, for a user to have a personal media player in one pocket and a mobile phone in another. And if the user needs different functionality, then even more devices might be carried. Manufacturers have recognized that the proliferation of devices can represent a problem for users and have responded by integrating multiple functionalities or services into a single device.
When designing single integrated devices, manufacturers typically need to balance factors like feature set, device size, battery life, and cost to attempt to meet consumers' needs and expectations. Unfortunately, the compromises made in a single integrated device can result in the performance or capabilities of any given function being reduced compared to the same function that is provided by a dedicated device such as a digital camera, media player, or handheld game device. For example, a single integrated device might include a digital camera, media player, and a mobile phone where the device is purposely designed so that the performance of the phone is kept uncompromised but the camera and media player are not as fully functional as their dedicated counterparts in order to meet a desired retail price target, for example, for the integrated device. While such tradeoffs are generally accepted by consumers, single integrated devices are not expected to replace dedicated devices. As a result, additional solutions would be desirable that can reduce device proliferation without compromising the performance of any of the functionalities provided.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above.